Apparatus for conditioning soles



Aug. 14, 1951 w. D. THOMAS APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING SOLES 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 27, 1946 In ven for William D Thomas hzl /HO r Aug. 14, 1951 Filed July 27, 1946 W. D. THOMAS APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING SOLES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet Z nvenor Wil/am D Thomas W. D. THCMAS APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING SOLES Aug. 14, 1951 Filed July 27,

Patented ug. 14, 1951 APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING SOLES William D. Thomas, Lynnfield, Mass., assigner to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation o! New Jerney Application July 27, 1946, Serial No. 686,789

This invention relates to machines for treating shoe parts and particularly to controls for such machines.

The illustrated machine includes a cabinet for treating a plurality of soles at one time with hot vapor laden air both to temper the soles and activate the cement thereon. Sole carrying trays are provided which are arranged to move in and out of the cabinet so that soles can conveniently be moved into the cabinet for treatment and after treatment be withdrawn from the cabinet to a position convenient to the operator. In accordance with one feature of the invention novel manually controlled means are provided for sequentially withdrawing the trays from the cabinet.

A sole should remain in the cabinet for a period of time ranging from thirty seconds to a minute in order that the cement thereon be properly activated and the leather rendered inert, the length of time depending on the type of cement used and the characteristics of the leather in the soles. To this end and in accordance with another feature of the invention, means are provided for ensuring that the trays remain within the cabinet for a desired length oi' time. As illustrated, this means consists of sequentially operated controls including tray latches arranged so that when one tray is moved into the cabinet the next tray in the series is unlocked and moved out of the cabinet.

When treated soles are removed from the cabinet they are usually registered with a lasted upper .in an adiacent press. This operation takes in the neighborhood of ten seconds. As sixty seconds is usually the longest period required to activate the slower type of cement in general use the cabinet ls arranged to hold seven trays, six of which are normally located within the cabinet and the seventh projecting outwardly therefrom for loading purposes. In order to adapt the machine for soles which are conditioned more quickly, means are provided for selectively rendering one or more of the trays inoperative without interfering with the sequentially operated controls for the remainder of the trays so as to correlate the number of trays in use to the minimum treatment time required for the sole being operated upon.

In accordance with another feature of the invention means are provided for simultaneously releasing all latches so that all the trays can be ejected from the cabinet at one time to permit the cabinet to be rapidly cleared of soles when it is desired to discontinue operation for an extended period.

14 Claims. (Cl. B12-273) These and other features of the invention will appear more fully trom the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a front elevation. partly in section. of a cabinet embodying the present invention. the view being taken on line I-I of Fig. 2:

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on line II--U of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken on line III-III ot Fig. 2, certain of the parts being broken away to show details of the construction;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevation taken along the line V-V o! Fig. 2 illustrating a modification of the latch control mechanism.

The illustrated machine includes a cabinet l0 for treating a plurality of soles at one time with hot vapor laden air both to temper the soles and activate the cement thereon. The hot vapor laden air is preferably supplied by apparatus similar to that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 2,488,533, granted November 22, 1949, on an application filed in the names of Maeser and Gulbrandsen.

The front of the cabinet is provided with seven narrow elongated openings I2 (Fig. l) through which soles are moved into and out of the treatment chamber. The rear wall of the cabinet is provided with a similar number oi hollow cylindrical bearings I3 (Fig. 2) which project outwardly from that wall and are located in alinement with the openings l2 in the front wall of the cabinet. The openings I2 are normally closed by pairs oi' doors I4 (Fig. 1) which are pivoted on pins i6 located on opposite sides of the openings. the .pins IB being mounted in bosses i8 which project out from the front wall of the cabinet. The doors are biased to a closed position by springs 2|) which are sleeved on the mid-portion oi the pins I8 and engage the outer surface of the adjacent doors with projecting end portions. At any time during the normal operation of the machine the doors Il associated with all except one of Ithe openings i2 will be closed thereby reducing the area of the opening leading into the treatment chamber. This will materially assist in maintaining uniform temperature conditions within the chamber.

Slidable through the doors il are sole carrying trays 2i (Fig. 3) which move in and out of the cabinet to carry soles into the cabinet for treatment and thereafter withdraw them to a position convenient to the operator. the relative position of the trays within and without the cabinet be- .ingr best shown in Fig. 2. Each of the trays 2| is supported at its rear end by a stud 22 that eil:-v

tends through the cylindrical rear wall bearing i3 and at its front end is slidably supported on a bar 26 fastened to the rear side of the front wall of the cabinet with its top surface flush with the bottom of the openings I2. The tray Il is provided with a grilled bottom 2l and spaced side walls 24 arranged to support a sole on its edge, the sides being of reduced height at the front end of the tray and curved inwardly to form a low rounded end wall 2l which is located close behind the doors Il when the tray is positioned within the cabinet. When the tray is moved outwardly the end wall forces the doors I4 open and they are held in that position by the side.

walls 2l while the tray is in its projecting position. The front end of the tray 2| which lies forward of the end wall 25 is provided with a fiat base portion 21 that extends out from the cabinet and an upstanding central flange 28 which. when the tray is positioned within the cabinet as shown in Fig. 3, fits in complementary shaped recesses formed in the lower portions of the doors il (Fig. l). The trays are urged outwardly from the cabinet by springs 30 sleeved on rods 32 located beneath the trays, the rods I2 being fastened to the rear wall of the cabinet and to the bar 23. The springs 3l) are confined between the rear wall of the cabinet and collars 34 which are slidable on the rods 32 and abut against blocks 36 fastened to the under side of the trays by screws 38. When the trays 2| are located within the cabinet, as shown in Fig. 3, the springs 30 are compressed and thus urge the trays outwardly from the cabinet.

The trays are held within the cabinet by a latch assembly which will now be described. Fastened to the front of the cabinet beneath the trays is a latch supporting bracket Il having seven upstanding ears 42 (Fig. l) which are located beneath the pivot pins IB. each of these ears being recessed to receive a spring which will be referred to later on. Plvoted on the bracket Il beneath each of the trays are seven latches 44 which engage behind blocks 46 fastened to the under surface of the tray base portions 21 by screws ll. The latches 4I are urged in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, toward their latching position by springs Ill which are seated in the recesses in the ears I2 and engage behind the tail portions of the latches.

The latches are successively released by push buttons 52 mounted on the under side of each of the trays (Fig. 2). the push buttons having studs 6l which extend through alined openings in brackets 56 depending from the ends of the trays and in the blocks IB (Fig. 4). Each of the buttons is urged outwardly from the tray by a spring 58 sleeved on the stud ll, the spring being confined between the block Il and a collar Gil fastened to the stud. The operation of the push buttons is as follows. When pressure is iirst applied to the button 52 of a projecting tray. the spring El collapses allowing the shouldered base portion of the button to engage the bracket 6i and move the tray into the cabinet. Just before the tray reaches the end of its movement into the cabinet the end of the stud Il will strike the tail of the latch Il which controls the next tray on its right moving that latch in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 to disengage it from the block Il. When the latch has been disengaged from the block 4l the compressed spring In. which is urging the next tray outwardly, will force that tray out through the doors il and present a treated sole to the operator. When the tray which has lust been moved into the cabinet is latched the operator releases the push button 52 allowing the spring Il to move the button and its stud outwardly until the collar lill strikes the flange $6. This outward movement permits the latch associated with the tray which is now projecting from the cabinet to resume its latching position where it can engage the block Il on the projecting tray when that tray is moved back into the cabinet. When the last tray at the right of the cabinet, as viewed in Fig. 2, is moved into the cabinet its push button stud M will strike the end of a bell crank lever 82 causing it to rotate in a clockwise direction and move a link Il to the left. The link 64 is connected to the head of the latch Il associated with the tray on the opposite side oi the cabinet and this movement of the link will disengage the latch from the block 46 allowing that tray to be ejected from the cabinet by its spring lli.

To prepare soles for cement attachment to uppers the marginal portions of the soles are first coated with cement, usually an appreciable period of time before the attaching operation. In a short time the solvent evaporates leaving the cement deposited on the sole in a hardened nontacky condition. Immediately prior to the attaching operation the cement is again activated and the leather rendered inert by subjecting the sole to hot vapor laden air in an operation that requires from thirty to sixty seconds depending on the type of cement used and the characteristics of the leather. As the trays in the illustrated machine are sequentially operated and as the operation of registering a treated sole with a lasted upper in an adjacent press requires in the vicinity of ten seconds it will be seen that equipment of the machine with seven trays ensures that a minimum treatment period of sixty seconds will be provided inasmuch as six of the trays are normally located within the cabinet at all times. To adapt the machine for operation upon soles which require less than sixty seconds of treatment. one or more of the trays are rendered inoperative so as to reduce the number of trays in use and thereby correlate the operating cycle with minimum period of time required. This is done by transferring control of the link 6l from the bell crank 6I to the latch associated with the last tray in the series which it is desired to use. To this end the link 64 is provided with holes 66 located behind each of the latches I4 (Fig. 2). To render any number of trays inoperative a headed bolt 6l is inserted in the hole Il to the right of the last tray in the series which it is intended to use. Then when that tray is pushed back into the machine its push button stud il will strike the latch M associated with the next tray on the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, in the usual manner. However, when the latch is rotated it will strike the bolt 8l and shift the link M to the left thereby cutting out of operation the trays beyond that point and releasing the latch associated with the rst tray in the series, which is the left tray shown in Fig. 2. Tray holding means are provided to prevent the tray associated with the control latch from moving out of the cabinet when the control latch is tripped. This holding means consists of a collar Il (Fig. 3) attached to the bearing I3 by a screw 12. The collar is provided with a tapped opening 'Il for the reception of a set screw 18 which when tightened down against the tray stud l! prevents movement of the tray.

Assuming, ior example, it were desired to operate upon soles requiring a thirty second minimum treatment, the adjustments and operation would be as follows. First the bolt Il would be inserted in the opening behind the iii'th tray from the leit as viewed in Fig. 2 and the set screw 16 would be tightened against the stud I2 oi' that tray. This adjustment will render the nfth, sixth and seventh trays inoperative and as one of the remaining four trays is normally out of the machine being loaded or unloaded the re maining three trays have a time dwell in the cabinet of approximately thirty seconds each. Upon operation, the first three trays starting from the left of Fig. 2 will operate in the usual manner when pushed back into the cabinet in that operation of each tray will trip the latch of the next tray to its right. However, when the fourth tray is pushed inwardly, its push button stud 56 will trio the latch associated with the ilfth tray rotating that latch in a clockwise direction causing it to strike the holt il and shift the link 64 to the left thereby releasing the nrst latch and starting the cycle over again. It will be noted that the release of the latch associated with the fifth tray will not result in outward movement of that tray as it is held by the set screw I6 in the ollar through which its stud 22 slides. If desired, the set screws I6 associated with the sixth and seventh trays can also^be tightened against their studs 22 to prevent ac cidental election of those trays from the cabinet.

When the machine is to be shut down for an extended period as for example at the end of the day, it is desirable to eject all of the trays quickly so that the machine can be unloaded without delay. Simultaneous release of all trays is made possible by a latch release bar 1B (Fig. l) which is located beneath the flange oi the bracket l and is supported at each end by a pair of stud screws B0 which are threaded into the front of the cabinet. The bar 18 is provided with seven upstanding pins B2 which extend upwardly through openings 84 in the iiange of the bracket lli (Fig. 2) to a position in front of the tails oi' each of the latches M. To release all of the trays the operator pushes inwardly against ringer pieces 86 on the ends of the bar 18 thereby applying pressure to the tails of the latches through the pins 82 causing the simultaneous release of all of the latches allowing the trays to move outwardly from the machine.

Having thus described my invention, what i ciairn as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, means for supporting a plurality of soles for movement into and out oi said cabinet, means for independently ejecting said soles from the cabinet, and latches for restraining said ejecting means, said latches being arranged to release the ejectlng means associated with one sole upon movement of another sole into the cabinet.

2. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality of members for supporting a plurality of soles within said cabinet, manually operated means for moving the soles into the cabinet, and means located between two adjacent supporting members and actuated by said manually operated means for causing adjacent soles to be sequentially ejected from the cabinet, one by one.

3. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet. means for supporting a plurality of soles aide by side within said cabinet, operator controlled means for moving thesoles into the cabinet. and latches releasable sequentially by the operator controlled means for causing successive soles to be sequentially ejected from the cabinet in the order of their relative length of time in the cabinet.

4. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality of trays arranged for movement in and out of said cabinet, springs individual to each tray tending constantly to urge each tray out oi the cabinet. and means controlled by the movement of each tray into the cabinet tor causing an adjacent tray to be ejected from the cabinet by its spring.

5. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality of adjacent trays for supporting a plurality of soles side 'by side within said cabinet, means constantly urging each of said trays outwardly from the cabinet, and sequentially operated latches for normally holding said trays within the cabinet, said latches being arranged to release successive trays for outward movement in I a sequential order only.

6. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a pluraiityof trays arranged for movement in and out of said cabinet, means for urging the trays outwardly from the cabinet, latches for retaining the trays within the cabinet, and means for moving the trays into the cabinet, said means being arranged to release the latch associated with the next adjacent tray upon movement of a projecting tray into the cabinet.

7. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality of trays located side by side in said cabinet for supporting a plurality of soles within the cabinet to permit the soles to be conditioned, means for urging said trays outwardly from within said cabinet after the soles have been conditioned, a latch for holding each tray within the cabinet, and means for releasing successive latches in a sequential order only thereby to initiate outward movement of the successive trays one at a time in the order of their relative length of time within the cabinet.

8. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, trays slidable in and out of said cabinet. resilient means for constantly urging the trays outwardly from the cabinet, latches arranged to hold the trays within the cabinet against the action of said resilient means, each of the latches when in latching position having means thereon located in the path of an adjacent tray whereby movement of said adjacent tray into the cabinet releases said latch and thereby permits outward movement oi the tray held by said latch.

9. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality of trays arranged side by side for movement in and out oi said cabinet, means for ejecting successive trays from the cabinet in a sequential order only, and means for rendering selected trays inoperative without interfering with the sequential operation of the remaining trays.

l0. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality of three or more trays arranged side by side for movement in and out o! said cabinet, means for sequentially electing the trays from the cabinet, said ejecting means including a displaceable member extending between the end tray on one side of the cabinetand the end tray on the other side of the cabinet, the displaceable member being arranged to cause the outward movement of the second-mentioned tray subsequent to the operation of the mst-mentioned amaca tionedtray toaninterlnediatetray rendering selected trays inoperative thereby to reduce the number of trays in the operating cycle.

il. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality of three or more trays located side by side and arranged for movement in and out oi' said cabinet. means for uraing the trays outwardly from the cabinet, sequentially operated latches for holding the trays in the cabinet. means on each of said trays for releasing the latch associated with the named means including a link connecting the latch associated with the last tray in the series with the latch associated with the first tray in the series. and means for transferring the control of said link to the latch associated with an intermediate tray whereby that tray is made the last tray in the series.

' 12. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality ot sole supporting trays arranged side by side for movement in and out o! said cabinet. means for urging said trays outwardly from the cabinet, a latch for retaining each tray within the cabinet, means for releasing one latch by operating another latch, and means for simultaneously releasing all of said latches.

13. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality o! sole supporting trays arranged side by side for movement in and out of said cabinet. means controlled by movement of the trays for sequentially electing successive trays from the cabinet in the order of their relative length of time within the cabinet. and means tor simultaneously electing all oi' said trays from the cabinet.

14. A conditioning apparatus comprising a cabinet, a plurality of restricted openings in said cabinet. a row of trays siidable through said opencessiveiy. from the cabinet. ranged to elect each tray in turn from the cabinet when the projecting tray preceding such tray is moved into the cabinet.

WILLIAM D. THOMAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

